Dig licking plates before going into dishwasher - ick or not

[Happyspendingthedayinthegarden]

Have have hosted a lovely Easter BH Monday for all 7 GC, 3 step children, partners & children. We had an Easter egg hunt in garden, had breakfast in local farm shop & walked my lovely little dog around, petted animals etc.

For context I need to say that DSS & DIL are both British, but live in USA.

After a roast dinner I put the plates & general pots & pans down for the dog to lick. My DIL lost the plot saying that was so unhygienic I assured her that they would be going into the dishwasher on a high temperature - about 90c so would be sterilised. I always let the dog pre-wash my plates as consider it's going into the dishwasher at high temp to be sterilised so no problem.

DIL saying she will never let her children eat at my house again & gone-taken her DH & DC off in an huff.

DH has had a text from his son apologising but saying what can he do as has to support his wife. I totally get that. But....

My question is - is it OK to let dog lick out the plates etc when they are going into dishwasher at a high temp? WWUD?

Sorry but that’s absolutely disgusting.

@KnickerFolder it does sound like you are preaching from google. So many incorrect things written, don't know where to start.

I am fairly sure the primary mode of transmission from dogs to humans is bites or contact of dog saliva with broken skin

Lookup modes of transmission and stop pretending to know what you are talking about. Lookup dormancy, serotypes of the bacteria you mentioned, other bacteria not mentioned, biofilms, dishwasher temperatures, replication rates etc.

The simple thing is why bother doing it if there is a risk, not to mention the dog thinking it's ok to eat off human plates.

I’d be horrified. Even if you do this, to do in front of people when hosting is awful! It’s really gross.

Optics not a problem. Our Labrador's job is to pre wash our plates and dishes. She waits to do it and yes, I would eat from the dog bowl after it had been through the dishwasher.

But I'm sure you understand that most people wouldn't and why?

Massive dog fan but that is absolutely gross. Scrape food into their bowl if you insist but no tongues on human plates 🤢

exactly, the worst thing about this thread isn't that OP did it herself, but that so many people think it's fine
I highly doubt I know OP so could judge from afar, now I'm going to be wary of accepting a cup of tea from anyone I know who owns a dog 🤮

Well again, please inform any guests of your poor hygiene standards before offering refreshments just so they know to decline.

I just wouldn't have done it in front of guests. The dog always finishes off our plates. Then into the dishwasher they go.

it is so nasty. I have had boyfriends. where the house is really fucking grim, but still the fucking animals are not eating off the plates.

so dirty, a total disgrace, manage your animals.

Um… you are taking out of context a line from a sarcastic post to a poster who was clearly “preaching from Google” as she posted a link to a click bait news article rather than an actual scientific paper and accused people of being poorly informed 😂 If she understood anything about the subject, she could have at least chosen a bacterium found in dogs’ mouths that there are actual known cases of transmission from sharing crockery or a credible risk. Personally, I would be more concerned about Salmonella or Listeria.

I’m not “fairly sure” of the known modes of transmission of C. canimorsus, I know what they are. As I said, I was being sarcastic… If you read my other posts, you would know my professional background.

As I have already pointed out in other posts, there is a tiny risk but it is much lower than letting a dog lick you or many of the things that people routinely wash in their dishwasher eg plates with grains of rice, utensils used to prepare raw meat… We can’t eliminate every risk in life, this is not one I would get worked up about.

But as you are so knowledgeable, @elfendom, please tell me what you think I will learn about C. canimorsus if I “Lookup modes of transmission and stop pretending to know what you are talking about. Lookup dormancy, serotypes of the bacteria you mentioned, other bacteria not mentioned, biofilms, dishwasher temperatures, replication rates etc.” that would change my mind about the risk of transmission to immunocompetent individuals from a washed plate a dog has eaten from?

FWIW the likely mode of transmission in the cases shuggles linked to is via mucous membranes from a dog licking the face of the individuals.

I'm not going to comment further on this thread.

Thank you to everyone for your responses.

For context the GC who live in UK (about 10 miles away) are frequent visitors, both their parents have dogs & they are used to scraping off any onions, condiments etc that may harm dogs & putting dishes down for their dogs to lick before going into the dishwasher. They love packing the dishwasher & generally helping out when at our house.

I understand my DIL's objections & concerns & will not allow this again when she is visiting. I have agreed that next time the dishes that she & her DCs eat from will be hand-washed in very hot water & soaked with a sterilising tablet before any food is put on them.

They visited again before they flew home, we went for a lovely trip to a local National Trust property, watched other GCs play rugby & all is fine.

I have a relative that does this, it is really grim and the next min the dog is eating the cat shit out of the litter tray 🤮. I will not eat anything there and I was brought up with dogs.

Thanks for your informative contributions on this thread!

Also, you have an exceptionally great username.

I don't have a dog any more, but used to occasionally let our dog lick the plates after a roast dinner.
Wouldn't do it in front of guests though!

I think it's disgusting to let a dog lick the plates and pans that humans will us. I wouldn't want to eat off them either.

@Happyspendingthedayinthegarden we have 2 dogs and find it easy to split any leftovers into their respective dog bowls!

Us too! His nickname at dinner time is pre-wash. 😁

Lovely. Do tell any guests though 🤮

I have just got back from a long walk in the fields just beyond my back garden, with my lovely, energetic cocker spaniel.

He picked up and spat out, did not eat, sheep poo on a number of occasions and the carcass of a dead bird.

All in a days play for my dog.

He is now back at home in the kitchen, licking his bottom..

I am now going to cook a lovely rack of lamb for supper. I will then let my dog lick the plates before I put them into the dishwasher.

NOT, NEVER, NO!

My dog's bowls all go through the dishwasher (on a separate wash to human stuff) and they are fed raw meat. But then I'll also wash human chopping boards and plates that have had raw chicken on them all together. None of us has ever had a dodgy tummy.

I do draw the line at letting the dogs lick the plates in front of guests though, you should def wait for the guests to go home first. 😅

I bet lots of people who are shitting themselves about dogs licking plates let their dogs sleep in their bed!

The number of people saying "eww this is vile, I get that it's not a problem because the dishwasher will do it's job and clean the plate properly BUT.... "

Well but nothing, you've just said it's OK, so what's the problem?

Also our dog licks loads of stuff in our house, surely people aren't avoiding dog lick? He quite often licks our sofa, i sit on the sofa, i put my hand on my jeans etc etc, I'm sure the dog lick germ is going to get to my skin/mouth in plenty of other ways that aren't put anywhere near a boil wash... do the dog owners who thinks it's gross think they don't ingest dog lick in any other form either?

I love dogs but it’s a huge no from me.

My dog used to eat cat poo and even if a dog is wormed, it can still carry worm eggs etc. All of which are transmitted through saliva etc.

I would just scrape it in to his bowl. (But be careful of over feeding)

I think even if you know the plates will be cleaned by the dishwasher, it could still make some people feel queasy to witness a dog licking the plates. Best just to wait until after guests have gone home in future.